Just Another Football Player
by Serena Wronski
Summary: As if racial issues aren't enough to deal with, another diverse type of person has joined the mix. Will the team be so accepting?
1. Camp time

Author's Notes: This was an idea that hit me during my Morality class today. Bear with me, it may take a little while to develop and be a bit choppy at first. If you've read any on my fics, you'll know that reviews are the validation of my existence. So please, validate my existence! Hope you enjoy.  
  
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Reviewers:  
  
How sad...none. Seeing as how I haven't written anything yet, I'm not too broken up that no one has commented. This space would be dedicated to the lovely beings that respond to my story and in turn, I respond to your response. Then, hopefully, you respond again. Then I shall respond to your response to my response of your response. Follow? Right, er, so, read and review!  
  
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The Administrator glowered at the roster of football players. "This is madness. We cannot have it. There'll be injuries and then a lawsuit will be thrown in our faces."  
  
The Athletic director sighed. He straightened his tie out of habit, searching for a delicate way to respond. "I understand, but with our current, er, predicament of newfound acceptance, we can't go and say this kid can't be on the team. Don't worry. Neither of the coaches are stupid. The kid will ride the bench; maybe bring the players water bottles or toss out a few towels. It won't be a problem."  
  
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(Coach Boone's POV)  
  
I stared at my clipboard, checking off the names of boy's who'd shown up. My hands were shaking, but no one could see that except for me. I didn't even notice the tap on my shoulder as a permission form dropped on top of the roster.  
  
I read the name on it. Andi Sides. The name wasn't on my list. "I'm sorry Andi, you aren't on the roster." I looked up and couldn't contain the gasp that escaped my mouth.  
  
"Yes, I am a girl, coach." The girl was good natured and laughed. "I was Okayed by the athletic director."  
  
I spun the pencil between my fingers. "I'm sorry, but I just can't allow you to be on the team." A few of the parents were beginning to stare and their boys even offered a passing glance. "You're, what, 135 pounds?"  
  
Andi continued to smile. "Five feet, four inches of 130 pound goodness. They told me you don't cut players. If they make it through camp, they get to be on the team. I can make it through, coach, but you have to let me go first."  
  
My eyes rested on her. Her brown hair was pulled into a neat ponytail. She wore a black skirt suit with a maroon shirt under the jacket.  
  
"I brought a tie if you really want me to wear one," she offered mischievously.  
  
I found myself chuckling. "No," I said, "You're dressed quite nicely. But you aren't on my list, Andi."  
  
"I know." Andi looked regretfully at me. "I'm a late transfer. My parents' new jobs make them travel a lot, so I came here to live with an old friend of my mom's. There's a note on my form from the administration."  
  
I could only think of one thing to do. "Well, get on the bus, Miss Sides." She wouldn't last. The kid would go home after two days of training...probably. 


	2. Entering loneliness with a Friend

Author's Notes: First chapter wasn't too great of one, but I didn't really know where to start. I know, I know, it was quite short. They'll most likely get progressively longer. I like this fic. Simply because I think it is a fun one to write. Well, Happy Valentine's Day Everyone.....or late valentine's day depending on when you read it, or when I post it, or who you are and if you like or hate the holiday. Myself, I'm going to an Un- Valentine party tonight. Should be exciting.  
  
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Reviewers:  
  
Nayeli- Thank you very much. I'm glad you're interested. Keep reading, I like hearing what you have to say!  
  
Chubbs88- I'm glad you like my story. I just really hope I'm not wearing out an overused topic. Hopefully, mine will be different from all the other ones! I'm sure your being modest about your story. I'll have to check it out.  
  
Starlight16- glad to see that you like it so far and are interested!  
  
Beth Smith- Glad you are interested. I'll stop in and read yours.  
  
AgalaxiaGoddess- In no way at all am I discouraged. I consider 5 reviews to be a great amount for first chapter. At least I can respond personally to five. Thank you very much for your interest in my story. I completely agree. The movie rocked hard and its such a fun one to write about!  
  
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(Andi's POV)  
  
I glanced around, the nerves finally setting in. I really didn't look like I belonged here. One of the guys began walking towards me, staring into my eyes. I opened my mouth to greet him, but he turned away. I was invisible to them. But invisible can often be better than not. With a final deep breath, I followed the crowd onto a bus of all white people. I laughed indignantly. The point of this was integration, yet we couldn't even share a bus. That's when I noticed that I was no longer an invisible figure. Every pair of eyes had turned to me. Trying to ignore them, I made my way to an empty seat about halfway back.  
  
A boy with sandy blond hair stopped me. "Are you the water girl or something?" He smiled, but his eyes were cold.  
  
I tried to smile genuinely at him, breaking off the icy atmosphere, but my lips were set in a scowl. I was already frustrated with my lack of acceptance. "No," I said, not giving him any more reason to continue the conversation.  
  
I sat down and leaned my head back on the seat. What was I doing? This had to be a sure sign of insanity. My concern for my mental wellness was interrupted as Coach Boone came onto the bus. He ordered us to all get off. Once we were all standing awkwardly in the grass, He made an announcement. "Defense on this bus, Offense on that one. Get to know who your sitting next to; they'll be your room mate." His voice was commanding and no one dared to question it. At least not out loud.  
  
Roommate? I hadn't really thought about that. Every other person getting on the bus was a guy. Except for one really little girl and I had no idea what she was doing here. Maybe this wasn't such a great idea after all. I found my way onto the offense bus and sank into the very back seat and the only one without another person already sitting in it. It wasn't that I didn't want companionship on the two-hour drive, I just didn't know who would be willing to accept my company. So loneliness hath found its mate in me. From the looks of it, we would be getting to know each other at camp really well.  
  
I was almost at the point of getting up and leaving. Sure, I'd seemed confident when arguing with Coach Boone. My confidence, however, was a ridiculous façade. No matter how well I convinced everyone else that I was a haughty and swaggering football player, I couldn't find a way to convince myself. I knew that inside I was a terrified mess of a little girl. "This is crazy," I muttered as I stood to leave, my backpack in tow. I took one step and my way was blocked.  
  
"Whoa! Where you going?" I looked up a few inches, as I had to with most of the other players, to see the kindest smile I'd seen in quite a long time. "I can sit somewhere else if you really don't want me to." He said, being perfectly polite.  
  
"Oh," I fell back down on my seat next to the window. "No no no, I was just- I mean I went to uh- would you like to sit here?" I finished with a laugh. "I'm sorry, you just surprised me."  
  
His happy smile somehow got happier. "I didn't mean to scare you. You just looked kind of lonely back here. Then I thought when you saw me that you didn't want to sit with me because I'm not white but-"  
  
"That's not it at all." I personally thought integration was a good idea. Admittedly, I was not at all accustomed to seeing so many people who weren't the same color as me, but I didn't think the change was a bad thing. "I'm really glad to have someone willing to talk to me."  
  
"I'm Jerry. Everyone calls me Rev, though." I looked quizzically at him and Rev immediately continued on to explain that he'd wanted to be a reverend since he was 6 years old. He told me how he'd wear his dad's old bathrobe, stand on top of a kitchen chair and preach the Good News to a very rapt audience of his little sister's stuffed animals. I laughed and didn't even realize that our bus had started moving. "What's your name?" Asked Rev once he'd remembered that he didn't know it.  
  
"Andrea Sides." I said. "I prefer Andi, though. There isn't a good story behind it that will make you laugh or anything. I just liked it better."  
  
"So you play football? That's brave. I don't mean that in a bad way, I think it's truly cool. You're just pretty small. What position are you going out for?"  
  
"Wide receiver. What about you?"  
  
"Looks like we'll be working together a lot. I'm a quarterback." The conversation continued quite naturally. With every word between Rev and myself, I felt my nerves grow smaller and smaller. By the time we reached camp, my stomach had almost come un-clenched. Almost. I stared out at the grounds with a deep breath. "Hey, don't sweat it. If you need someone to talk to, I'm here for you."  
  
I nodded with an unconvinced smile. All of the other faces around me were pretty uncomfortable and scared. That's when I remembered; we'd room with the people we sat next to. Huh. Did Rev know that? He didn't want to sit with me for that sole reason..... did he? I laughed. He was the nicest person I'd met all day. He wouldn't sit with me simply to share a bedroom with a girl. I shook my head to get the thought out. It worked for the most part. But a shred of the suspicion still lingered as Rev smiled and pated my shoulder in a comforting gesture. Or at least I believed it was to comfort me...  
  
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Dull chapter, but we're getting to action. Cross my heart. Please review. I really want to know what people think. Don't worry. I won't change any characteristics of the original characters. I won't change good people into monsters and monsters into angels. Promise. Thanks! 


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